For decades, railway lines have provided a near-seamless way to transport cargo, as well as travel from one destination to another via train. Although a common sight within cities, many people don’t realise just how much work and planning goes into the construction of a railway line.
In the past, these rails were manufactured by hand, which often took months, if not years of production. These days however, and thanks to access to advanced technologies, the entire process can be handled in a matter of days or weeks.
Flash-Butt Welding Machines
These unique devices are first of all aligned to a railway’s line in production, before being run along the surface, where thick plates grip the rails and a welding arc is then used to secure the rails to their foundations. Flash-butt welding machines are fast enough to process multiple kilometres of line – and due to their built-in flash removal tool, they can tidy up the treated area ready for any further activities required before the railway line becomes functional.
These machines were carefully designed and developed to perform their tasks flawlessly, allowing railway manufacturers to almost effortlessly take care of the construction process, with the added reassurance that the welding will last for decades to come with minimal maintenance.
Rail Bend Testing Press
Another vital machine in the railway construction field is known as a rail bend testing press. As the name might suggest, these unique devices are used to test the strength of a rail by bending it, often until failure.
As a result, the test piece can be used to ensure that the rest of the rails that were manufactured in batches are safe and secure – as well as being suitable for the task ahead of them. Additionally, these machines can also bend rails to specific angles with very high strength, and options to address small pieces or entire lengths as required.
Usable in a variety of ways and being versatile enough to handle even the most demanding of requirements, a testing press can make a huge difference to any railway construction project.
